Combination lock



NOV. 15, 1938. R BENJAMIN 2,136,584

COMBINATION LOCK Filed Dec. 31, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor RaZJ bhBerg (1min Attorney Nbv. 15, 1938. R. BENJAMIN COMBINATION LOCK FiledDec. 51, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor RaZphBer zjamir z.

A fiom ey Nov. 15, 1938. R, BENJAMIN 2,136,584-

COMBINATION LOCK Filed Dec. 31, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Lil Patented Nov.15, 1938 PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION LOCK Ralph Benjamin, Waterbury, mm,assignor of twenty-five per cent to Leonardo Mancini and twenty-five percent to Nicholas Mancini, both of Waterbury, Conn.

Application December 31, 1937, Serial No. 182,758

6 Claims.

This invention relates. to improvements in door locks, and moreparticularly to a keyless combination lock having a plurality of latchbolt holding rockers, each of which is individually actuated by aseparate indicating knob.

One object of this invention is to provide a combination lock of theabove nature in which each locking rocker is operated by a rotatable camadapted to be manually turned by an indicating knob to permit the propercombination for un- 7 locking the door to be easily obtained.

A further object is to provide a combination lock of the above nature inwhich the rockers normally rest by gravity in looking position, and areadapted to be raised therefrom by turning the rotary cams to the propercombination,

A further object is to provide a combination lock of the above naturewhich will be simple in construction, easy to operate, compact,noiseless, inexpensive to manufacture, and very eflicient and durable inuse.

With these and other objects in View, there has been illustrated on theaccompanying drawings, one form in which the invention may beconveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front fragmentary view of a door upon which the improvedcombination lock of this invention has been installed.

Fig. 2 is a rear fragmentary view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective View of the interior frame member ofthe lock,

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference charactersdesignate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral l0denotes the latch edge of a door to which the lock of this invention hasbeen applied. The edge II] has a recess M on one side, as shown in Figs.4 and 5, for receiving the lock mechanism, and on the other side isprovided with an escutcheon plate l2 secured to the door by bolts l3,which pass through said plate I2, the door edge l0, and a plate ofelectrical insulating material M, such as Bakelite, seated upon the baseof said recess The plates l2 and I4 are held in position by a pluralityof nuts I5. Provision is also made of a hollow cover |6 secured to theside edge of the door, as by screws l1, and to the end edge of saiddoor, as by screws l8, which cover serves to enclose the lock mechanism,the latter being supported by a U-shaped frame l9 having base flangesI9a, which are fastened to said door as by headed screws 20.

A longitudinal latch bolt 2| is slidably mounted in slots 2|a formed inthe legs 22 and 23 of the U-shaped frame I9. The latch bolt 2| has anenlarged head 24 at its inner end to limit the outward movement of thebolt by engaging the leg 23 of the frame l9, and said bolt extendsforwardly beyond the leg 22 of said frame through an opening in thefront wall 25 of the cover Hi. The forward end of the bolt 2| is alsoenlarged and has on its end a beveled latch 26 which is adapted toengage in the usual latch plate secured to the adjacent door frame (notshown).

A pair of spaced-apart V-shaped notches 21 and 28, respectively, areprovided in the underside of the bolt 2| and are disposed in alinementwith a pair of lugs 29 and 3|l,respectively, formed on a rockingactuating plate member 3|. The plate member 3| is fastened to a knobshaft 32, see Fig. 5, which extends transversely through the mechanismand has a pair of exterior knobs or handles 33 and 34 secured upon theopposite extremities thereof. The plate member 3| is keyed to the shaft32 and is clamped in position thereon by a pair of nuts 35 and 36threaded on the shaft 32. A spring 31 is coiled about the shaft 32 andreacts between the plate I4 and the rocking plate 3| to maintain theparts in place and to impose friction thereon.

In order to constantly urge the rocking plate 3| into the bolt-lockingposition shown in Fig. 3, provision is made of a spring 38 secured to alug 39 formed on said plate 3| and to a post 40 on the door. Assumingthe rockers 48 to be in raised position, the shaft 32 may be rotated byeither of the knobs 33 or 34 to rock the plate 3| clockwise, as shown inFig. 3, and will cause the lug 30 to leave the notch 28 and the lug 29to enter the notch 21 and force the latch bolt 2| rearwardly to unlockthe door. When the knob is released,

the spring 38 will automatically protract the bolt 2| by rotating themember 3| in a counter-clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 3, by theengagement of the lug 3|] in the notch 28 of the bolt 2 |-the enlargedhead 24, by its engagement with the frame member 23, limiting furthermovement of the bolt 2|. The action of rocking the plate 3| clockwise,as shown in Fig. 3, will cause a finger 4|, extending from said plate3|, to force a movable contact 42 into electrical engagement with afixed contact 43 to close an electrical circuit, including a battery 44and a bell 45, or

other signal means. Such a circuit is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3.The contacts 42 and 43 are suitably mounted upon a bracket 46 inposition to be engaged by the finger 4|.

The latch bolt 2| is adapted to be locked in protracted position bymeans of a plurality of transverse rockers or tumbler bars 41, 48 and49, each of which is pivotally mounted at one end upon a rod 50 which issupported by four brackets 5|, which are rigidly secured to the frontmember 52 of the U-shaped frame |9. The transverse rocker bars 41, 48and 49 overlie the latch bolt 2| and are adap-ted to drop into threecooperating slots 53, respectively, provided in the top of the latchbolt 2| (see Fig. 3). At this time the bolt 2| will be prevented frombeing retracted rearwardly. Each rocker bar 41,. 48.

and 49 is provided with a downturned T-shaped lug 54, which lugs areadapted to ride upon the peripheral surfaces of three cams 55, 56 and51, respectively. Each cam 55, 56 and 51 is provided with a high point58 which, when the respective cam is rotated, smoothly and quietlyraises the respective bar 41, 48 and 49 out of its cooperating slot 53.

The cams 55, 56 and 51 are mounted upon three transverse shafts 59, 66and 6|, respectively, adjustably secured upon said respective shafts bymeans of set screws 62. Lock nuts 63 threaded upon each of the shafts59, 60 and 6| are adapted to tightly engage the cams 55, 56 and 51,respectively. The shafts 59, 66 and 6| extend from the plate |2 throughthe door edge ID, the plate l4, and the front member 52 of the U-shapedframe |9,each being secured in this position against axial movement by anut 64 threaded on the inner end thereof. Compression spring 65 arecoiled about each of the shafts 59, 60 and 6| and react against saidcams 55, 56 and 51 to exert suflicient pressure thereon to prevent theaccidental twisting of said cams by vibration of the lock or slamming ofthe door.

In order to operate the combination of the lock,.provision is made ofthree knobs 66, 61 and 68 upon the end of each of the shafts 59, 60 and6| outside the escutcheon plate l2. Each of the knobs 66, 61 and 68 hasa dial portion 69 provided with a scale 10 marked about its peripheryadapted to cooperate with a vertical indicating line 1| marked on theplate I 2 above each dial.

By means of this construction it will be seen that the high point 58 ofeach cam 55, 56 and 51 may be located in alinement with the desirednumber on the dial 69 by loosening the set screws 62, and that byturning the cams on their respective shafts and then tightening the setscrews, any desired combination of numbers may be obtained. By turningthe dials to the proper combination, the rocker bars 41, 48 and 49 willbe raised out of the bolt 2|. The latch bolt 2! may then be retracted bymanipulation of either of the knobs 33 or 34, permitting the door to beopened. In order to maintain the bolt 2| in retracted position,provision is made of a slot 12 in the bolt 2| in position to have thebar 41 drop therein after the bolt 2| is retracted.

In order to permit all of the rocker bars 41, 48 and 49 to besimultaneously removed from the slots 53 by a person located within thehouse, provision is made of a short bar 13 extending longitudinallybelow the transverse bars 41, 48 and 49. A transverse rod 14 is securedto the bar 13 and extends outwardly through aslot 15 in the cover l6,being provided with a knob 16 mounted upon a pin 11 extending betweenthe two central brackets 5| (see Figs. 4 and 5). By manually pushing theknob 16 downwardly, the bar 13 will simultaneously engage the bars 41,48 and 49 and raise them from the slots 53. This will permit theretraction of the latch bolt when the handle 34 is subsequently turned.

Operation To open the door from the outside it will merely be necessaryto turn each dial 69 to the proper number of the combination, whereuponthe rocker bars 41, 48 and 49 will be raised by the cam sections 58.Turning of the handle knob 33 will then cause the bolt to slide inwardlyand unlock the door. After thus unlocking the door, the bolt 2| may bemaintained in retracted position by turning the knob 66 so as to causethe bar 41 to drop into the slot 12.

After opening the door and entering the house, the user may release thelatch 2| by manipulating the knob 16 to raise the bar 41 from the slot12, whereupon the spring 38 will again protract the latch bolt 2| andlatch the door. To again lock the door after it is latched, it will onlybe necessary to rotate the dials 69 to remove them from bar-raisingposition, whereupon the rocker bars 41, 48 and 49 Will drop by gravityinto their cooperating slots 53 and prevent retraction of the latch bolt2| by means of either of the knobs 33 or 34. When the bolt is so locked,the door may be readily opened from the inside by merely pushing theknob 16 downwardly to simultaneously raise all of the bars 41, 48 and49, and thereafter turning the knob 34.

If an unauthorized person endeavors to get in the premises, it will benecessary for him to frequently turn the door knob or handle 33counterclockwise to see if he has employed the proper combination tounlock the door. Each time that he thus turns the door knob, the lug 4|will engage the movable contact 42 to close the electrical circuit andcause the burglar alarm bell 45, lamp or other signal to be operated.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in whichthe invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form isshown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention isnot to be limited to the specific disclosure but may be modified andembodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. Inshort, the invention includes all the modifications and embodimentscoming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, andfor which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In a combination look, a casing, a normally protracted latch bolthaving a cross-slot in the top thereof, means to retract said latchbolt, a vertically movable bar adapted to drop into said slot wheneversaid bolt is in protracted position, manually rotatable means on oneside of the lock to raise said bar out of the slot to permit retractionof said bolt, and a pivoted lever on the other side of the lock to alsoraise said bar.

2. In a combination look, a casing, a normally protracted latch bolthaving a plurality of spaced apart cross-slots in the top thereof, meansto retract said latch bolt, a plurality of rocker bars in said casingpivoted on a horizontal axis, said bars being adapted to drop into saidslots when the bolt is in protracted position to lock it in suchposition, and rotatable cam means extending out side of the lock toraise said bars out of said slots, respectively.

3. In a combination lock, a casing, a normally protracted latch bolthaving a plurality of spacedapart cross-slots in the top thereof, meansto retract said latch bolt, a plurality of rocker bars in said casingpivoted on a horizontal axis, said bars being adapted to drop into saidslots when the bolt is in protracted position to lock it in suchposition, rotatable cam means extending outside of the lock to raisesaid bars out of said slots, respectively, and pivoted means on theinside of said casing to simultaneously raise all of the bars to permitunlatching of said bolt.

4. In a combination look, a casing, a normally protracted latch bolthaving a plurality of spaced apart cross slots in the top thereof, meansto retract said latch bolt, a plurality of horizontal rocker bars insaid casing pivoted on a horizontal axis, said bars being adapted todrop into said slots when the bolt is in protracted position to lock itin such position, a plurality of rotatable cams having high sectionsadapted to raise each bar out of its slot in the bolt, individual meansto rotate each of said cams, and indicating means on each of said camrotating means to denote when the respective bar is raised by each cam.

5. In a combination look, a casing, a normally protracted latch bolthaving a plurality of spaced apart cross-slots in the top thereof, meansto retract said latch bolt, a plurality of horizontal rocker bars insaid casing pivoted on a horizontal axis, said bars being adapted todrop into said slots when the bolt is in protracted position to lock itin such position, a plurality of rotatable cams having high sectionsadapted to raise each bar out of its slot in the bolt, separate means torotate each of said cams, indicating means on each of said cams rotatingmeans to denote when the respective bar is raised by each cam, andpivoted means on one side of said casing to simultaneously raise all ofthe bars to permit unlatching of said bolt.

6. In a combination lock, a casing, a normally protracted latch bolthaving a plurality of spaced apart cross slots in the top thereof, meansto retract said latch bolt, a plurality of horizontal rocker bars insaid casing pivoted on a horizontal axis, said bars being adapted todrop into said slots when the bolt is in protracted position to lock itin such position, a plurality of rotatable cams having high sectionsadapted to raise each bar out of its slot in the bolt, means to rotateeach of said cams, indicating means on each of said cam rotating meansto denote when the respective bar is raised by each cam, pivoted meanson one side of said casing to simultaneously raise all of the bars topermit unlatching of said bolt, and means to change the position of eachof said cams with respect to said rocker bars.

RALPH BENJAMIN.

